Killer Eludes Police After Shooting Man

April 17, 1994

Chicago police pursuing a slaying suspect Friday night were called off after a supervisor deemed the chase unsafe.

An officer radioed for help after hearing shots fired and seeing a man jump into a van with missing license plates in the 7100 block of North Clark Street, said Belmont Area Police Sgt. Robert O'Leary.

Other officers chased the van for four minutes, ending at Birchwood and California Avenues, before being told to stop because of heavy pedestrian and car traffic, O'Leary said.

He said police did not know at the time of the chase that a man had been struck by the gunshots and killed.

The victim, still unidentified as of Saturday night, later collapsed in the 1700 block of West Estes Avenue and died a short time later. Police had no suspects in custody.